If you MUST plant stuff outside...

[Lizcordysmum]

and the good weather is so tempting, I know...

Then have some plastic milk jugs, cut out pop plastic bottles, some clear plastic, ready to put over top of stuff at night. Even an old garden vinyl tablecloth.

I do not trust the weather, one bit.

Face it, the 24th of May is planting out day, if we are lucky. that Rule has been around a lot longer than most of us have been.

(for those brand new to gardening, they used to use glass covers, called "cloches"...we do the same with plastic jugs. A little microsystem where plants stay warm when the temp. falls too low. It works...don't forget to take it off when the sun gets hot in the daytime.)

[butterfly]

planting outside depends on zone and last frost date

Here is JUne 10th normally

[Meggylou]

it's always a safe bet to plant here the first of June. I am going to plant a few things before then though, and use some pop bottles are cloches to help the little seedlings along.

[(old_user)earwig]

Even though the long May weekend is the day most people look forward to for planting I like to go by the moon.

I see the full moon in May is the 20th so I will be waiting till that is over before very tender things go out.

Last frost date in my area is May 30 (Farmer's Almanac) but that is just an average time so since the next full moon isn't until June 18th I think I should be OK.

Always iffy but I will have things hardened off and keeping an eye on the weather warnings.

[joan w]

Good idea Liz. I snaffued a big water bottle from Pam's water cooler and have seeds under it. The pop bottles, etc. are good too.

[Eeyore]

I must remember to do this.... I have lots of 1 litre pop bottles!